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Native-plant advocates ask Wakulla County for input on FDOT landscaping, recreation plans and revised landscape ordinance
Summary
A member of the Sarracenia chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society urged commissioners to allow local expert input on FDOT-funded landscaping, recommended species changes for dry coastal sites, raised concerns about a recreational-facility plan and urged revisions to the county's draft landscape ordinance and tree-credit rules.
Leanna Parks, who identified herself as a member of the Sarracenia chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society but said she was not speaking for the chapter, asked county commissioners to include local native-plant expertise in three items on the consent agenda: FDOT grant-funded landscape plantings, design of recreational facilities and revisions to Wakulla County's landscape ordinance.
Parks congratulated the county on receiving FDOT grants and said the grants included native-plant components. She asked that the Sarracenia chapter be given the opportunity to provide input on final plant selection, and suggested using other native oaks better suited to dry sand-hill sites along Coastal Highway 98 rather than Shumard oaks, which she said had failed in her lower-moisture plantings. She recommended evergreen Conradina (false rosemary) for sunny, dry spots.
On recreational facilities (item 8), Parks said a consultant recommended improvements in about 2010 and that she welcomed the project; she asked the county to define "naturally vegetated" in the proposal, to set limits on impervious surface so environmentally sensitive land is not over-paved, and to consider restrictions on turfgrass. Parks said naturally vegetated areas should retain native species but also be managed to prevent invasive growth.
Regarding the revised landscape ordinance (item 9), she thanked staff members Summer and Brandon and said the draft was stronger, but criticized the tree-credit provisions. Parks asked that water oaks and laurel oaks be excluded from tree credits (even if excluded from the "signature trees" list) and recommended lowering the survey threshold so all signature trees would be inventoried at smaller diameters (for example, at 2'6 inches rather than only 10 inches or larger). She also said the list of shrubs, grasses and groundcover needs review because it includes a high-risk invasive species and other plants she would change.
Parks offered to provide comments to staff and asked the county to solicit local expertise earlier in grant and planting planning.
Ending Parks concluded by asking to be kept informed and to participate early in plant-selection decisions for FDOT-funded work and county landscape projects.
